Adjustable air register



Aug. 6,v 1946.

R. vRooM ADJUSTABLE AIR REGISTER Filed Jan. 50, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wf, W TMH/ me i V v mi ORNEY Aug. 6,- 19211).v R, c, VROQM 2,210,476 ADJUSTABLE .un REGIS'TER A l' Fund Jan. so, 1939 z sheets-smvh 2 um. ,.m. Nn

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIW Il Patented Aug. 6, 1940 e ADJUSTABLE AIR REGISTER Robert C. Vroom, Montclair, N.:J.,"assignor to Peabody Engineering Corporation N. Y., a corporation of New York?,A u

, New York,

Application January 30, 1939, ySerial No'. ,253,610

` 12 claims. (o1. 15851.55

This invention relates to -air registers or the like and more particularly to an vair register for use in a burner for liquid, gaseous or pulverized fuel. Such a burner may, for example',

be of the general type disclosed .in Peabody Patent No. 1,628,424, dated May 10, 1927, which shows an atomizer for liquid fuel having an atomizer tip' adapted to produce a. cone of atomized fuel in the burner throat. The yop'- erating capacity is varied by withdrawing a controlled portion of the fuel from the atomizer tip and returning the same to the fuel pump. I

In a burner of this type, an air register is provided which may take the form of a casing hav- 1U ing peripheral doors through which air for combustion is admitted. The doors control the direction and velocity of the air and cause the same to form a rotating mass of air within the air register having a degree of turbulence and a velocity of rotation which arevbestfadapted to promote the mixture of air and fuel.4 In this type of air register, it is desirable to provide means for controlling the quantity of air at different burner loads. 'I'his is accomplished in the 2.5 air register described in the patent to Peabody, above mentioned, 'by adjusting the angularity of the air doors or by varying `the pressure in the plenum chamber around the air register. It has been found, however, that changing the an-v gularity of the doors alters the vvelocity and the turbulence of the rotating massof air Within the register and that varying `the pressure in the plenum chamber changes the velocity of the air passing through the air doors, with a consequent change in efliciency of mixture and of burner characteristics.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved means for controlling the quantity of air supplied to the burner without altering the other characteristics of the air supply.

Another object is to provide, in an air register of the type above indicated, means for varying the quantity of air supplied to the burner while maintaining constant the direction, velocity and turbulence of the air within theregister.

AnotherA object is to providev a novel andimproved air register of the type above indicated in which Vthe airdoors may be adjusted: both angularly and axially.

Another object is to provide an air register of the above type having novel and' improved details of construction and `characteristics of operation. y i

Various other objects and advantages will be apparentvas thenature of the invention is more t* fully disclosed.k :Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are more particularly pointed out in the claims ap- 5 pended hereto, the invention may be better understood by referring yto the following de' scription, taken in connection with Athe accompanying drawings, in which certain specific em-Y bodiments thereof have .been set forth for` pur- 10 posesiof illustration. l

In the drawings: l

Fig. 1is a' longitudinal'sectional Viewv of a burner embodying the present invention; v

Fig.v2 is :a broken front elevationthereof; 15

Fig.V 3 isl a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a diiferent embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the burner shown in Fig. 3; and

` Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view illustrating a further embodiment ofthe invention. f lReferring to the drawings more in detail, the invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as applied to a burner for a furnace having a front wall l0 of the usual refractory material and an opening Il in which is positioned a ring -of refractory blocks l2 having flared inner surfaces B3 forming the burner throat. A plate I4, positioned over the front Wall l0, may be provided with an openingi|5 registering with the burner throat. 30, The'burner is shown as comprising an air'register having a front plate I8 secured, as by bolts I9, to a baille 20 whichis spaced from theplate I4 to form a plenum chamber 2| in which air` is supplied under pressure to the register. A 35 back yplate 24 is secured to'the front plate I8 by suitable means, such as stay bolts 25. The backplate 24 is flared, as at 26, to provide ya discharge opening 21 registering with the opening I5 in the plate Hand is provided with a flange 28 which is adapted to bear against the plate I4 yfor effecting an airseal. In certain embodiments, such, for example, as an air register vfor use at'atmospheric pressure, theregister may be supported by securing the flange 28 to the plate 14, in which event the baffle 20 may be omitted.

` The front plate I8 is shown as provided With a hub 34 in ywhich a sleeve 35 is secured by suitable meanssuch as a'set screw 36. An atomizer 50y barrel 3l having an atomizer tip 38 and a diffuserillv may be mounted within the sleeve 35 and secured in positionby aset screw 40. The tip 38 and diiuser 39 are arranged to direct a cone of nely divided fuel into the burner throat. 55.

The atomizer barrel 31 may also carry a coupling member 4I containing the fuel connections, not shown.

The atomizer barrel may be of the type disclosed more in detail in the Peabody Patent 1,628,424, above mentioned, and may comprise, for example, means for supplying fuel under pressure to the atomizer tip and for discharging the same in a line cone-shaped spray. The operating capacity may be varied by varying the supply pressure or by returning a portion of the fuel from the atomizer tip to the fuel pump and controlling the pressure in the return line, as more fully described in the said patent. e

For controlling the supply of air to the burner, the register is provided with a plurality of peripherally spaced air doors 45 which are curved to form the peripheral wall of a substantially cylindrical air register chamber. Each door 45 comprises a section 46 provided with ears 41 which are pinned to a rod 48 journalled in the rear plate 24 and the front plate I8, and a section 49 having an ear 59 which is slidably held on the rod 48. The section 49 may be provided `with a slot 5I engaged by a pin 52 carried by the section 46. The section 49 Vis similar in shape to the section 48 and is adapted to slide thereover in a direction axially of the register. A spring 53 may be carried on the `rod 48 to normally hold the section 49 in its forward position. It is to be understood, of course, that the pin 52 may be positioned in the section 49 and the slot 5I may be formed in thesection 46 if desired, or other securing means may be used. If sufficient support is obtained by the ear 59, the securing means between the sections 46 and 49 may be omitted.

Each rod 48 extends through the front plate I8 and carries a lug 55 having a slot 56 engaged by a pin 51. The pins 51 cooperating with the various lugs 55 are carried upon a ring 59 which is rotatably mounted on the front plate I8. Suitable means may be provided for operating the ring 59, such, for example, as a pinion 69 carried on a shaft 6I and engaging a rack 62 on said ring. The shaft 5I may be operated by suitable means, such as a .handle 63. The arrangement is such that actuation of the ring 59 causes pivotal movement of the lugs 55 and swings the doors 45 about the rods 48 so as to adjust the openings between said doors.4 In certain instances individual adjusting means may be provided so as to permit individual adjustment of each door.

For controlling the axial position of the sections 49 of the air doors, a plate 19 is provided having a hub 1I slidably held on the sleeve 35. The plate 19 is of a diameter to engage the various air doors and to form with said doors and with the rear plate 24 an adjustable air chamber within the register. Axial adjustment of the plate 19 may be made by suitable means, such as by handles 12 attached to said plate 19 and extending through openings 13 in the front plate,

In the operation of this burner, the atomizer is -set by suitable means for the required load and the air doors 45 are adjusted by means of the handle 8 8 to cause the air to enter the register with the 4desired direction and velocity to set up a whirling motion within the register adapted to producer an eicient mixture of air and fuel at the burner throat'. Pressure in the plenum chamber 2| may also be varied so as to effect the desired air flow.

When the load is reduced by suitable adjustment of the atomizer, the air flow through the register is also reduced by sliding the plate 19 axially of the register. In the embodiment shown this is accomplished by pushing the handles 12. It is to be understood, of course, that the han- -dles may be threaded in the front plate I8 if desired, in which event, the axial adjustment of the plate 19 may be made by suitable rotation of the handles or any other convenient adjusting means may be employed.

Axial movement of the plate 19 causes the sections 49 of the air doors to slide over the sections 48, thereby varying the axial length of the air doors. In this way the effective axial section of the register is varied in accordance with the load so as to alter the quantity of air passing through the register without changing the condition of flow through the air doors.

Itis to bev understood` that `this invention is noty restricted to a burner, but may be applied to air chambers, such as fan inlet boxes or the like and the .term air register is intended to include such uses.V Furthermore, the invention mayY be applied to burners of various types adapted forliquid,` gaseous or pulverized fuel, which may be supplied to the burner throat either axially or peripherally, as shown, for example.,v in lthe U. S. Patents 1,671,494 to C. R. Stewart, dated May 29th, 1928, 1,790,395 to S. T. Warner, dated Jan. 27th, 1931 and 1,865,983 to S. T. Warner, dated July 5th, 1932. Furthermore', l:he gas may be supplied` either axially or peripherally.

The invention is shown as applied to a burner operating under positive air pressure, which may be. maintained in the plenum chamber 2i by suitable means, not shown. The register in this embodiment is supported by the baille 29 which is provided with an aperture of suflicient size to permit the entire burner to be removed there through. The invention may also be applied to a burner operating at atmospheric pressure, in which'event the baille 29, forming the plenum chamber, maybe omitted and the air register may be mounted by securing flange 28 to the plate I4.

If, on adjusting the plate 19 in accordance with the combustion requirements, itis found that differ-ent conditions of air fio-w are required in order' to maintain efficient operation, the air doors 45 may be readjusted angularly to produce the desired eifect. The invention accordingly provides for independent axial and angular adjustment of the air doors.

In certain instances, it may be desirable to provide a single adjustment for both the angu larity and the axial length of the air doors. One embodiment for accomplishing this is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in which the parts corresponding to those of Figs. 1 and 2 have been given corresponding reference characters and a description thereof will not be repeated.

In thisy embodiment, the front plate I8 and the rear plate 24 are secured together by bolts 89 carrying spacing sleeves 8l on which the ears 41` and 59 of the air door sections 46 and 49 `are journalled. Each of the air doors 46 is provided With a depending lug 83 having a slot 84 in which a pin engages. Suitable securing means, such as a cotter `pin or the like, may be provided for securing the pin 85 to theI lug, 93.. 'Ihevarious pins 85' are mounted on a plate '-86 In thisv embodiment, simultaneous axial andA pivotal adjustmentl of the airdoors 45 is obtained by pushing` axially on rthe handles 88. Axial movement of the plate 86 causes adjustment of the axial length ofthe air doors 45 in the manner previously described. Axial movement ofthe hub 81 of the plate-86 causesthe helical slot 9| to ride onthe'xed pin'90, and to effect a predetermined rotary adjustment of the plate 85, thereby `varying the angular position of the airdoors 45. This rotary adjustment may be of a predetermined amount which is adapted to produce the desired condition of v air flow within the register at various operating capacities. Individual adjustment of the angularity and of the axial length of the air doors may, however, be obtained by removing the pin 96, in which event independent pivotal movement of the plate 86 may be obtained by shifting the handles 88 circumferentially in the slots 89. In this way, any desired combination of adjustments may be obtained.

The invention accordingly provides for maintaining a constant air velocity throughout the entire capacity range of the burner. It is obvious also thatthe angularity of the air stream at any load may be changed without changing the velocity or the velocity may be changed without varying the angularity. In this way any conditions suitable for obtaining the maximum burner efficiency may be obtained at any operating load.

'Ihe embodiment shown in Fig. 5 is similar in general to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. In this embodiment, however, the plate |60 issmaller in diameter than the peripheral ring of air doors and is adapted to slide under such air doors even when they are in full open position. 'I'he plate lll!)` is provided with a hub 10| which is slidable axially on the sleeve 35. The air doors 45 are, in this embodiment, each formed in one piece and are not axially adjustable inasmuch as it is not necessary to adjust the axial length thereof. The various air doors are shown as controlled by a ring 59 in a manner similar to that described in connection with Fig. 1.

In this embodiment, axial movement of the plate |00 varies the effective area of the air register, the plate forming a baiile which cuts off a portion of the linterior of the air register from vdirect communication with the discharge opening.

This typecof control may also-be applied to a register having air doors arranged in the form of a frustum of a cone, such, for example, as shown in the Peabody Patent 1,628,424, above mentioned. In this embodiment the plate I 00 may be used to control the operating capacity of the air register without changing the velocity of air ow through the air doors. It is to be understood that suitable locking means may be used for securing the various adjusting handles against unauthorized movement.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of various uses and that changes and modiiications may be made therein as Will be readilyl apparent to a' person skilled in the art.

Certain specific terms have been used herein merely for convenience of description and not as a limitation on the yscope of the invention. The

invention fis to belimited only in accordance with the following claims;

What is'claimedl'is:

1. In an air kregistena vset of'peripheral air doors overlapping yWhen closed t'o`- form the peripheral wall of an air register chamber, said doors being adjustable in length, means for adjusting the axial length of said doors and a baille within said chamber adjustable with said doors for vvarying the axial length of said chamber whereby the air supply may be controlled while maintaining a substantially constant direction and velocity Aof now within said chamber.

2. In an air register, a pair of end wallsand a set of peripheral air doorscooperating therewith, said doors overlapping when closed to form the peripheral Wall of an air register chamber and being adjustable both in length and angularly to control the flow of air to said chamber, means for adjusting one of said walls axially so as to vary the axial length of said chamber and means for effecting a corresponding adjustment inthe axial length of said doors.

3. In an air register, a pair of end walls and a set of peripheral air doors cooperating therewith, said doors overlapping when closed to form the peripheral wall of an air register chamber and being adjustable both in length and angularly to control the ilow of air to said chamber, one of said end walls being adjustable axially for varying the axial length of said chamber, and means for effecting a corresponding adjustment in the axial length of said doors.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 in which the doors each comprise a plurality of sections which are relatively movable for adjusting the axial length of the door.

5. The invention set forth in claim 3 in which the doors are adjusted by axial movement of said one wall for adjustment therewith.

6. In an air register, a pair of end walls and a set of peripheral air doors cooperatingtherewith, said doors overlapping when closed to form the peripheral wall of an air register chamber and being adjustable both in length and angularly to control the flow of air to said chamber, one of said walls being adjustable axially for varying the axial length of said chamber, means for effecting a' ycorresponding adjustment in the axial length of said doors, and independent means for eiecting angular adjustment of said doors.

7. The invention set forth in claim 6 in which the doors are mounted on pivoted rods extending through said adjustable wall and` mechanical linkage means is provided for angularly adjusting said rods in unison.

8. In an air register, a pair of end walls and a set of peripheral air doors cooperating therewith, said doors overlapping when closed to form the peripheral wall of an air register chamber and being adjustable angularly to control the flow of air to said chamber, one of said walls being mounted for axial and rotary movement, said doors each comprising axially overlapping sections which are adjustable for varying the axial length thereof, means controlled by axial movement of said one wall for adjusting the axial length of said doors and means controlled by rotary movement of said one Wall for angularly adjusting said doors.

9. 'I'he invention set forth in claim 8 in which means is provided for eiecting rotary adjustment of said movable Wall in response to axial movement thereof.

10. The invention set forth in claim 8 in which the movable Wall is provided with a hub having a helical slot engaged by a stationary pin Whereby axial movement of said Wall effects simultaneous rotary adjustment thereof.

l1. A burner comprising a fuel supply means adapted to produce a cone of nely divided fuel, and an air register for supplying air to said burner comprising a housing having a set of eripheral air doors overlapping when closed to form the peripheral Wall of an air register chamber, said doors being adjustable both in length and angularly for controlling the ovv of air to said chamber, and means for varying the eective axial length of said doors, whereby the air supply to said burner may be controlled While maintaining substantially constant conditions of air flow in said register.

12. A burner comprising a fuel supply means adapted to produce a cone of nely divided fuel, and an air register for supplying air to said burner, comprising a pair of end walls and a set of peripheral air doors cooperating therewith, said doors overlapping when closed to form the peripheral Wall of an air register chamber, means for adjusting said doors angularly to control the air iiow therethrough, means for adjusting one of said Walls axially so as to vary the axial length of said chamber and means for effecting a corresponding adjustment in the axial length of said doors, whereby the quantity of air supplied to said burner may be varied While maintaining constant conditions of air oW in said chamber.

ROBERT C. `VROOM. 

